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Raisin in the Sun

Page history last edited by James Kanach 12 years, 6 months ago

 A Raisin in the Sun

 

 

Setting


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Author

Lorraine Hansberry

 

 

People, Places, Things related to the era of the Novel

Martin Luther King Jr. - "I Have a Dream" Speech

Langston Hughes

Brown v Board of Education

Rosa Parks

Montgomery Bus Boycott

Jazz

Little Rock Nine and Central High School

African American Sports Figures

Harlem Renaissance

Civil Rights Act 

Ruby Bridges 

Malcolm X 

Jackie Robinson 

Little Rock Nine 

LR9

 

 

Sites to help reading the novel

A site with the plays history.

Biography of Lorraine Hansberry.

 

Study Guide

 

 


Raisin in the Sun Study Guide

Poem-Act 1 Scene 1

1.Where is the story taking place?
2.What is a "dream deferred"?
3.What is the tone of the poem?
4.What is a "settled woman"?
5.What is "slubborness"?
6.What does Walter do for a living?
7.List the members of the Younger family.
8.What kind of check is the family expecting?
9.Identify the relationship between Walter and Ruth.
10.What is Walter's dream?
11.What is Mama's dream?
12.Why does Ma ma slap Benie?
Vocabulary 
indictment vindicated affecting deferred
beseeching futile doggedly furtively
outrage clinically permeated unobtrusively
anguish neurotic conspicuous

Act 1 Scene 2
1.Who is Joseph Asagai?
2.Why is Beneatha pleased with the robes Asagai brings her? How does
Asagai react?
3.What is Beneatha's opinion about a relationship with Asagai?
4.Why does Beneatha thank Asagai for the nickname of Alaiyo?
5.What has Mama thought of doing with the money?
6.Why doesn't Mama want her son to run a liquor store?
7.What is Walter's reaction to Mama's refusal to invest in a liquor store?
8.Besides his concerns for money, what does Mama say she notices about Walter?
9.Walter tries to explain his discontent, both about his job and about his future. Why is he discontent?
10.Who functions as the head of the household?
11.When Mama refers to being "Proud of...what we done," to what is she
referring?
12.Why does Mama abruptly tell Walter about Ruth's plan regarding the
baby?
13.Explain Mama's statement:"You are a disgrace to the memory of your
father."
14.Describe the mood at the end of Act One.

Act 2 Scene 1

1.What is Beneatha's and Walter's mood at the beginning of this scene?
2.Explain George's comment:"We're going to the theatre-We're not going
to be in it."
3.What is Beneatha's definition of assimilation?
4.What does Walter mean by" Here I am a giant-surrounded by ants."?
5.Who is Prometheus?
6.What has Mama done with part of the ten thousand dollars?
7.What concerns Ruth about the house?
8.What is unusual about Claybourne Park?
9.Why does Walter feel useless?
10. What is a cracker?

Act 2 Scene 2
1.Explain the disagreement between Beneatha and George rgarding education.
2.Explain Walter's attitude about his job.
3.What is the Green Hat?
4.How much money does Mama entrust to Walter?
5.What does Mama reveal when she decides to use the rest of the money for what her children want?
6.What is the fantasy Walter describes to Travis?

Act 2 Scene 3
1.How has Walter changed in this scene?
2.What dream does Mr. Lindner mention?
3.Explain the irony in Beneatha's statement:"This friends, is the welcoming committee!" and"Thirty pieces and not a coin less!"
4.What mood best describes the famil's reaction to Mr. Lindner's offer?
5.What does Travis get his Grandma?
6.Who is Bobo?
7.Why does Walter say"That money is made out of my father's flesh"?
8.Who undergoes the most dramatic mood changes in Act Two?
9.Approximately how much time passes in Act Two?

Act 3
1.What did Beneatha once believe was being like God?
2.Where does Asagai want to take Beneatha?
3.Who is listening to Asagai and Beneatha's conversation?
4.Who is "The Man"?
5.What is Walter's plan?
6.Who are the smartest people according to Walter?
7.Why does Mama insist that Travis stay in the room when Walter speaks 
to Mr. Lindner?
8.Although Beneatha has no sympathy for Walter, how does Mama defend him?
9.Who is most unhappy about not moving to the new house?
10.What does Mam return to the apartment for?
11.What has happened at the end of the story? What dream has been fulfilled?

 

 

Student Projects

Project 1 A Raisin in the Sun/MLK I Have a Dream (A Mr. Kanach Project)

Project 2 Students did a vodcast of an interview of Walter Younger from Raisin in the Sun.

Project 3 - Podcasts several student interviews

Project 4 - Flash Video

Project 5 - Raisin interviews - 2008

 

Quotes

 

Man say to his woman: I got me a dream. His woman say: Eat your eggs. Ii 

 

 Once upon a time freedom used to be life--now it's money. . . . .No--it was always money, Mama. 

    We just didn't know about it. Iii

 

Here I am a giant--surrounded by ants! Ants who can't even understand what it is the giant is talking 

    about. IIi 

 

 Sometimes it is hard to let the future begin. IIiii

 

 I wanted to do that. I always thought it was the one concrete thing in the world that a human being 

    could do. Fix up the sick, you know--and make them whole again. This was truly being God . . . III

 

Asagai, there is only one large circle that we march in, around and around, each of us with our own 

    little picture--in front of us--our own little mirage that we think is the future. III

 

Vocabulary

Act 1

indictment- a formal accusation or charge

vindicated- freed; cleared of crime

affecting- pretending; to adopt falsely.

deferred -postponed or delayed

beseeching- to request or beg earnestly

futile- hopeless; useless

doggedly- Persistent in effort, almost to the point of being stubborn

furtively- trying to avoid attention; secretive

outrage - anything that strongly offends, insults, or affronts the feelings

clinically - in an analytical manner; to be very objective and devoid of emotion

permeated - To spread throughout, into

unobtrusively - inconspicuous, unassertive, or reticent; not undesirably noticable or blatant

anguish - excruciating or acute distress, suffering, or pain

neurotic - a person prone to excessive anxiety and emotional upset.

conspicuous-easily seen or noticed 

Act 2

assimilationist- a person (or group) who advocates the homogenization of another group (notably races and religions)

coquettishly

facetious- not taken seriously; amusing; funny; 

incredulity-Doubt, skepticism, or unwillingness to believe  

ludicrous-amusing because of exaggeration

oppressive-Harsh, cruel, or unjust

raunchy- suggestive or explicit

resignation

saucily

strident

Act 3

ofay

reflective

retrogression

reverie

wrought

 

 

Characters

 

 

Mama - head of the household - no husband - Lena - buys a house with the insurance money

 

Walter - Mama's son - chauffeur - loses money

 

Ruth - wife of Walter - pregnant

 

Benethea - single daughter of Mama: Walter's sister - wants to be a doctor

 

Travis - son of Walter and Ruth

 

Willy Harris - runs off with money

 

Bobo- one who waits for Willy: other partner who loses his (and Walter's) money

 

George Murchinson - one of Benethea's boyfriends - does not care about African heritage

 

Joseph Asagai - student from Nigeria: Benethea's boyfriend

 

Mr. Lindner - representative from Clybourne Park who tries to convince family not to move in

 

 

 

 

 

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